title: Human hepatocyte transplantation in patients with hepatic failure awaiting a graft.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatocyte transplantation (HT) has the potential to become a promising treatment to temporarily support liver function in patients with liver failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two patients, who had already received a liver transplant (LT) in the past, with an end-stage liver disease due to recurrent hepatitis C virus cirrhosis, suffering acute-on-chronic liver failure while on the waiting list for an LT, received HT as a bridge to whole-organ retransplantation. After HT and during intensive care unit admission, blood tests and ammonia levels were determined every 12 and 24 h, respectively, before and after each hepatocyte infusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The present study describes monitoring of analytical and clinical parameters and improvement of liver function following HT. In both patients, we managed to lower the blood ammonia levels and clinically improve the degree of hepatic encephalopathy, thus serving as a bridge to liver retransplantation in 1 patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe that this therapy may be an alternative treatment in patients with chronic liver disease who suffer episodes of acute decompensation as a bridge to conventional LT.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Cirugía y Trasplante Hepático y Pancreático, Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe de Valencia, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain. pareja_eug@gva.es
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pareja
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gomez-Lechon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cortes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonora-Centelles
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Castell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D013997:Time Factors; D014850:Waiting Lists
chemical_list: D000641:Ammonia